vulgar

[vuhl-ger]

adjective

1. characterized by ignorance of or lack of good breeding or taste.

   vulgar ostentation.

   Synonyms: ribald, coarse, low, inelegant, unrefined

2. indecent; obscene; lewd.

   a vulgar work; a vulgar gesture.

3. crude; coarse; unrefined.

   a vulgar peasant.

   Synonyms: rude, boorish

4. of, relating to, or constituting the ordinary people in a society.

   the vulgar masses.

5. current; popular; common.

   a vulgar success; vulgar beliefs.

6. spoken by, or being in the language spoken by, the people generally; vernacular.

   vulgar tongue.

   Synonyms: colloquial

7. lacking in distinction, aesthetic value, or charm; banal; ordinary.

   a vulgar painting.

noun

1. Archaic.,  the common people.

2. Obsolete.,  the vernacular.

vulgar

/ ˈvʌlɡə /

adjective

1. marked by lack of taste, culture, delicacy, manners, etc

   vulgar behaviour

   vulgar language

2. (often capital; usually prenominal) denoting a form of a language, esp of Latin, current among common people, esp at a period when the formal language is archaic and not in general spoken use

3. archaic

   1. of, relating to, or current among the great mass of common people, in contrast to the educated, cultured, or privileged; ordinary

   2. ( as collective noun; preceded by the )

      the vulgar

Usage

Terms that are labeled Vulgar in this dictionary are considered inappropriate in many circumstances because of their association with a taboo subject. Major taboo subjects in English-speaking countries are sex and excretion and the parts of the body associated with those functions.

Other Word Forms

• vulgarly adverb
• vulgarness noun
• unvulgar adjective
• unvulgarly adverb
• unvulgarness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of vulgar¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin vulgāris, from vulg(us) “common people, crowd” + -āris -ar ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of vulgar¹

C14: from Latin vulgāris belonging to the multitude, from vulgus the common people

Synonym Study

See common.

Example Sentences

“The comments were vulgar, offensive and false, and we apologize for the hurt they have caused,” the company said Wednesday.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Campbell’s confirmed the executive’s departure, calling the recorded comments “vulgar, offensive and false.”

Read more on Barron's

“The comments were vulgar, offensive and false, and we apologize for the hurt they have caused,” the company said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

After videos of the event went viral online, the local news agency Fars reported that "a piece of music with political connotations" was audible behind "vulgar" images of unveiled women.

Read more on Barron's

Fast forward to now, and many of these types of golf clubs have booked her for shows and actually pay for her to be vulgar.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• boorish 
• coarse 
• crude 
• disgusting 
• filthy 
• impolite 
• indecent 
• nasty 
• naughty 
• obscene 
• off-color 
• profane 
• ribald 
• scatological 
• suggestive 
• tasteless 
• tawdry